


No Time Like Present

by Chie (Chierafied)



Series: Drabblers one shots HP [22]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Fights, First War with Voldemort, Marriage Proposal, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Post-Hogwarts, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-13
Updated: 2017-05-13
Packaged: 2018-10-31 07:44:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10894842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chierafied/pseuds/Chie
Summary: It was at that precise moment, just as a second curse whooshed over his head only to be swiftly deflected by the shield Lily had wordlessly cast, when James had an epiphany.





	No Time Like Present

It should have been a quick and fun outing; just a short trip to a nearby Muggle pub, really.

Because of Order business, it had been tricky to keep in touch with their friends but now they’d finally made plans to see Sirius after a while and were both looking forward to it.

But before they had as much as rounded the corner, they found themselves surrounded by three Death Eaters.

James had only a split-second warning of the curse hurtling his way, and he hit the pavement without a single conscious thought; just pure Quidditch reflexes at work.

Slamming against the ground served as a painful reminder of the small box he’d been carrying around in his pocket for weeks now. He was sure his thigh would get a rectangle bruise.

It was at that precise moment, just as a second curse whooshed over his head only to be swiftly deflected by the shield Lily had wordlessly cast, when James had an epiphany.

The “right moment” he had been counting on? That would never come.

Waiting around for the perfect opportunity to fall into his lap would only waste precious time. Any moment could be their last. Case in point – they couldn’t even manage to walk to the nearest pub without finding themselves battling against Death Eaters in the streets.

Lily’s shield dropped with a flicker and she jumped forward, her wand extended, already firing a stunning spell towards their attackers.

She also kicked James’ shoulder none too gently in passing.

“What’re you doing you idiot?!” she hissed, keeping her gaze on the enemy and sending forth another spell in a quick succession. “Get up and fight!”

Warmth flooded James’ chest and his heart swelled with fondness. He jumped up, flourishing his wand and catching one of the Death Eaters with the disarming charm. The grin on his lips was part excited, part goofy, even as he caught his opponent's wand and snapped it in half.

Lily had stunned another Death Eater and now they were both advancing on the last one of the three still brandishing his wand.

But the one James had disarmed made a mad rush and tackled James to the ground.

His glasses flew off, he grunted as his head hit the pavement. He didn’t know what was going on with Lily, just heard her swearing up a storm. Out of the corner of his eye he saw flash of green, then he saw stars as the Death Eater straddling him landed a punch.

James swung his elbow and it connected with the Death Eater’s nose with a satisfying crunch; a few drops of blood spattered James’ cheek before the Death Eater lurched back.

“Lily?” James called trying to spot the familiar bright red of her hair in a world of vague and blurry shapes.

“Kind of… busy!” she snapped somewhere ahead.

James sighed in relief. Then the Death Eater kicked him in the ribs.

James grabbed his leg, quick as a snake, and brought him down with a firm yank.

“This is probably a bad time,” he called, as he drove his fist into the Death Eater’s stomach before knocking him out with the stunning spell, “but will you marry me?”

He found his glasses with the help of a quick summoning spell and perched them on his nose just in time to see Lily narrowly dodge another killing curse.

“This is a _terrible_ time,” she complained, not daring to risk a glance at him.

James decided on Levicorpus, and in a split second dangled the Death Eater who’d been aiming at Lily in the air. A moment later Lily’s stunning spell caught the cursing man in the face. 

James shrugged, and let the Death Eater crash to the ground.

He turned to his girlfriend.

“All right?”

“I’m fine, you took more beating than I did,” she replied, studying his face. “Next time we get attacked, don’t just lie on the ground like a sitting duck.”

“I’ll try not to. I was just momentarily distracted.”

“By what?” Her eyebrow was arched, ire sparking in her green eyes.

James fished the box out of his pocket and held it out to her. “By this.”

“Oh.” Her cheeks flushed. She accepted it hesitantly; opened it, peeked in. “It’s beautiful.”

“I’m still waiting for an answer,” he reminded her gently, tucking an errant strand of her hair behind her ear.

Lily took out the ring and slipped it onto her finger. “Of course I’ll marry you, you prat.”

He beamed and picked her up in his arms.

She cupped his face and kissed him thoroughly, the ring on her finger cool against his cheek.  

After a long, blissful moment, he pulled back from the kiss, more than a little breathless.

“We should get going before these guys wake up,” he said, wrapping his arm around her waist.

“Agreed. Let’s go and get a drink.” She leaned against him as they started walking down the street, and glanced at the ring. “Do you think Sirius will notice?”

James laughed. “He’s going to be ecstatic.”


End file.
